It's Not Sunny In Philadelphia

Well, I made it to Philly...but just barely. There is a huge snow storm blowing through here that has caused a lot of flights to be cancelled. So far, only me and one other person in my group made it here. I heard that quite a few others got stranded elsewhere, and won't make it here until late tomorrow. Not sure how the Peace Corps is going to deal with this. Maybe we'll get an extra day here, but maybe not. We'll see.

Also, I realized on the plane today that I completely forgot to gather up everyone's mailing address', so if you want me to write you, you'll have to send me a letter first so I know where to send the reply. I didn't really bring any pictures, so feel free to include some photos too if you want. I might have a chance to update this thing again, but not sure yet. I'm really excited and happy to get started and looking forward to getting over there and out of this damn snow!

Leaving and mail details

So...it's finally here!! I'm flying into Philadelphia on Thursday, Feb. 25th. I'll be there about a day and a half, then on to Malawi! This will be the last post for quite sometime as I will not have access to the internet during my first three months or so of training. A fellow volunteer that will be leaving in my group posted some more details about sending us mail over there, so I thought I would do a quick plagiarism gig before I flee the country. Here's what she had to say:

So, here's some important stuff to keep in mind:

- Just a simple letter in an envelope can take anywhere from 6 to 9 weeks to reach me.
- Number your letters and envelopes as they might arrive out of order, or not at all.
- Anything other than letters and postcards should be sent in bubble envelope mailers and can take upwards of 12 weeks to reach me. Boxes are often opened and are less likely to get to me.
- Never declare a value of $15 or more on anything you send me. The duty taxes I will be required to pay will be half my monthly salary.
- On that note- don't send me anything valuable or irreplaceable because I may never get it.
- Be sure to write "Air Mail" or "Par Avion" on the letter/package.

During the first three months (February 27th - April) my mailing address will be:


PHILLIP RICH PCT
PEACE CORPS /MALAWI
BOX 208
LILONGWE
MALAWI

If you want to send something faster or more valubale, go through DHL or Fedex- but make sure to put this below address and information on the package:

PHILLIP RICH PCT
c/o U.S. PEACE CORPS MALAWI
AREA 4 PLOT 70
ACROSS FROM OILCOM DEPOT
LILONGWE
MALAWI

You'll also need to put the phone number for the Corps on the label, which is: 265-1-757-157

After this three month training session, I will be given a new address which I will put on this blog as soon as possible.

TELEPHONE CALLS:

- I will be disconnecting my current cell phone on February 27th- the day we leave for Malawi. Feel free to call me on it before then.
- During training (February - May), I will not be accessible by phone unless it is an emergency.
- After training, aka after May, I will be issued a GSM cell phone from the Peace Corps.
-- I WILL be able to send and received text messages and phone calls on this phone.
-- I will also be in a different time zone than you and will not have my cell phone on all the time. Leaving voicemails is probably the best option then.
-- Once I have this cell phone number, I will post in on this blog, just like my new address.
-- Remember that I don't like cell phones very much, and my calls will probably be even more infrequent than other volunteers.

EMAIL/BLOG/FACEBOOK:

So during the training period, again, February through April, I will have ZERO access to internet and thus this blog will not be updated during that time. I will not be able to respond to email or facebook. The Peace Corps puts us through an intensive immersion program during this period of time, something I am greatly looking forward to. I can, however, still send and receive mail, which is why I spent some much time explaining all that up above.

After training, my internet access will be more frequent, but still very limited. I may go several weeks to a month without being able to get online. So don't panic if I can't update. Just call or write to me instead.

I know it's a lot to do, but anything you send will be greatly appreciated by me! I'm very excited about leaving and starting a new adventure, and want to say thank you to everyone who has been so supportive of my decision and helpful in my preparations for departure. I will be shutting off my phone on Wednesday(24th), so feel free to call me before to chat if you want. And as always, there is an open invitation to anyone who wants to have their own adventure and come visit me! Take care, and I'll be back in no time!
Peace,
Phil

Packing List and Mailing Address

Hey Everyone,
Sorry it has been a little while since I updated this thing. I've been pretty busy learning and reading as much as possible about Malawi, and running around trying to gather all the things I "think" I'll need for the next couple of years. I received my staging email from PC yesterday! I will leave Colorado on Feb. 25th and fly to Philadelphia where I will be for a couple days of orientation/staging, then take a bus to JFK, and fly to Malawi after a layover in Johannesburg, South Africa. In the rest of this post, I will finally put up my address where you can send letters and packages to me during training, and then write out my current packing list for those who are interested. Feel free to start sending letters, etc., b/c it will take awhile to get there, and I promise to write you back!

Mail-
Here's the address where you can send letters and packages while I am in training. for the first three months. Below that, I have pasted what the Peace Corps has to say about sending stuff in the mail to increase the likelihood that it will arrive. I also read that its a good idea to use a .98 cent stamp.

Phillip Rich
PCT Peace Corps
P.O Box 208
Lilongwe, Malawi

"Mail takes a minimum of two to
three weeks to arrive, often longer. Some mail may simply
not arrive (fortunately this is not a frequent occurrence, but
it does happen). Advise your family and friends to number their
letters and to include “Air Mail” and “Par Avion” on their
envelopes. Packages take six to nine weeks for airmail, and
surface mail packages take around six months. If someone is
sending you a package, it’s advisable to keep it small and use a
padded envelope so it will be treated as a letter." (Peace Corps Malawi Welcome Book)

Current Packing List-

Malawi/Mozambique Map
Malawi Bradt Travel Guide
Laptop (Thanks, Lori!!)
External Hard Drive (for movies,music,etc)
Camera
Tent (1-2 person)
Journal (Thanks, Quinn!)
Travel Umbrella
Guitar and extra strings
Mini Tamborine and mini maracas :-)
Deck of cards
Dice game (Farkle)
French Press coffee mug
Solio Solar Charger
Sunglasses (x2)
Small Binoculars
Nalgene (x2)
Crank Flashlight
Headlamp (x2)
Speakers for mp3 player
small photo album
Ipod

Cargo pants (x2)
Collared shirts (x2)
Socks (6 pr.)
Keen Sandals
Flip flops
Dress Shoes
Hiking Boots
T-shirts
Underwear
Khaki Pants
Running Shorts
Swim trunks
pajama pants

Sunscreen
Toothpaste
Toothbrush
Razor and extra blades
Shave Cream
Deodorant

I also bought a 1.5 liter pressure cooker recommended by PC volunteers already over there, but it has not arrived yet. I have yet to do a "test" pack, but will do so soon and hopefully stay under the 80 lb. weight limit. This list will change soon, but I wanted to get the majority up on here for now. Thanks to all in advance for the love and support, and I hope to see many of you before I go.
Peace

Going to Malawi!!!

So, a FedEx driver just dropped off my invitation packet.......and I'M GOING TO MALAWI!! I'm so excited to start doing research, and getting to know a little more about where I'll be spending the next two years of my life! I had it narrowed down to four countries that were possibilities for me (using peacecorpswiki.org), but was secretly hoping that I might get Malawi. So glad I did, and I'm really excited to meet the other volunteers that will be in my group. I'll be headed out on Feb. 24th, so until then, I will be packing, reading as much as possible, and saying goodbyes.

YEEAAHHHH!!

Peace,

Phillip

Changed my blog title!

Well, I decided to change the title of my blog from, "Application Anxiety" to, "Rich When Poor" since I'm finally in!! I thought it would be more fitting since I am currently broke, and will be for the next couple of years. Still no word on what country I'm headed to, but I'll update as soon as I find out!

Peace,

Phillip

I'M IN!!!

So, after yesterday's disappointment, Peace Corps called me back and
told me they had an open Business position (my degree is business)
leaving in late February, going to Africa. They gave me 24 hrs to
think it over, and after talking to friends, family, and a couple of
former PC volunteers, I decided to accept! I called them back,
accepted, and was informed that I will definitely get the position!
Long story short,...going to Africa!! I'll update when I find out
what country!
Peace,
Phillip Rich

Hope for the best, but expect the worst

Today is six weeks before the leave date of the position I was nominated for, and Peace Corps called me to tell me that I did not get the spot. Would have been nice to know sooner, but it holds true to the phrase I coined while in the Army...Hope for the best, but expect the worst.  PC is going to call me soon to get me nominated for another position, but I probably won't leave until June now. So disappointed...

Phillip Rich